I decided to try the WordPress 2.6 Upgrade. I started the nailbiting consideration a couple of months ago. Last week I finally actually did something about it. If you follow me on twitter, you may have seen threats, promises and innuendo about me upgrading for the past couple of months.

Before:http://whall.org/blog, WordPress 2.3.3. The blog has been upgraded through many iterations, including pre-2.0. I’ve been blogging for more than three years now.

During:http://whall.org/test26, Installed WordPress 2.3.3, imported posts from previous blog, put in all the same plugins and as much as the same config as I could. Upgraded the test install to 2.6. Got bored. Procrastinated. Went crazy once.

After: http://whall.org/blog, WordPress 2.6.1. Imagine the hotness!

The complete log of my attempt is in the extended entry. It’s long and boring, like some contracts you might sign, or 90% of an RNC acceptance speech. So I hired a comedian speech writer to put in a bunch of one-line zingers here and there. I’m fully expecting the left-wing blogosphere to launch an all-out attack on my family any day now.

Log:

Made a subdomain test26.whall.org but then decided I didn’t want to wait for DNS to propogate so I’m just using /test26 on the domain. I do this via the Admin console provided by my ISP.

Created /test26 folder in my home directory at my ISP. I do this via an ssh session. I’m very quiet about ssh.

Created a MySql 5.0 database (this is different than my existing blog database, which is MySql 4.0 – unsure if it will be an issue). I do this from the MySQLAdmin console through my ISP. This may prove to be a mistake, and it might make me sob. It’s MySql and I’ll cry if I want to.

Followed typical wp-config-sample.php editing and copy to point to new MySql database, then followed typical installation by going to wp-admin/install blahblah. There really should be a blahblah unix command.

Changed some general options through the wordpress admin interface. To be specific, I changed the “general” options.

Copied all the plugins for my main blog over to the test blog – first I cd into the main blog wp-content/plugins directory, then run this command tar cvf – . | (cd ~/test26/wp-content/plugins/; tar xfBp -)
I’m so glad(e) my plugins worked! (plug it in, plug it in)

One by one started activating the plugins on test26 blog. I noticed that Akismet and WordPress Video Plugin have updated versions, so to be fair, I should upgrade those before continuing. But I don’t think “being fair” was listed as a requirement for upgrade.

That reminds me – I should give a list of plugins I have activated on my blog. Here ’tis

and I believe that’s the one that dies. Belief is what separates humans from the animals. That, and deoderant.

The second attempt has similar logs from above but just has the original export.php, then polls-admin-js, then the export.php?author=all line, so perhaps the Akismet upgrade is different?

I’m about done with this crap. Seriously.

To rule out the server code and what not, I try an export of the NEW test26 site and it gives me an .xml file.
Have you heard the word “whatnot” today? There’s a funny line in Rushmore with it. Google it.

I try to go directly to the “5 seconds later” URL and take out the %C2%BB parts but still an error. Everything’s better without the %C2%BB parts, doncha think?

I try to restrict author to just one author, and it still craps out. Offending URL is still the same but it says author=1 instead of author=all.

I decide to just do a SQL backup, a WordPress database backup and a file backup and just follow the directions in the upgrade instead of testing anything.

Backup

Deactivate all plugins

Overwrite the files

Run the upgrade URL

Check out my theme (make minor tweaks, like for gravatars)

Re-activate the plugins one by one.

Oh, my, gosh the auto-upgrade is FANTASTIC!

Now I’m all and upgraded. Woohoo!

I download “gears” to make things “faster”. All it ends up “doing” is putting unnecessary “quotes” around the things I “type”.

I notice I still can’t export. I still get error 500. Sheesh! It must be something in my specific database because the export of a barebones 2.6 install worked fine. Should I get some expectorant or laxative for my blog?

Hilly, This just goes to show you how incredibly complex and faux-funny I can make the simplest things. Listen to ChillyWilly and Avi. All you really gotta do is just the last piece. And if you go Avi’s way with the auto upgrade plugin, it’s much easier.

martymankins, oh yeah?!?!? I can make it, um, 50 steps! YEAH!

and were you referring to my blog or Hilly’s? I assume Hilly because I haven’t changed my layout in years.

marilyn, My wife does Tarot readings, and I’ve been learning along with her as much as I could. So… yes and no.

marilyn #2, Thanx to the interwebs, I now know what the Krebs cycle is. Good thing, too, because I thought it was something on SpongeBob SquarePants.

Avi, I think I will try that plugin for the 2.6.2 upgrade. I like clicking.

Also, I’m unable to refrain from saying “with you, everything is about 3 and a half minutes”. Don’t take it personal. I have a condition called “Michael Scott Syndrome” where I must take immature punch lines at all opportunities. That’s what she said.

Dragon, With him, everything’s categorized as “food”, “blogs”, “TV shows”, and “porn”. Frequently, things are in all four categories at once. But I give him some credit – he did pimp out my blog as recently as this morning.

Dude. You make stuff so hard on yourself. The auto upgrade plugin the THE best plugin to have. I have a customized theme that was jerry rigged from my Blogger blog. I have 16 plugins. I’ve upgraded to 2.6.2 on sunlightsucks.com, lexvalentine.com, sociallydead.com, and the funeral blog at the office. As Adam said… 3-4 minutes, no issues.